SINGAPORE – Media
OutReach – 5 October 2021 – Global invoice financing marketplace, Incomlend, has
partnered with European alternative asset manager, Fasanara Capital, to launch a global US$60
million alternative financing programme for Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) focused on Environment
Social, and Governance (ESG). The new initiative, named Incomlend ESG
Invoice Financing Programme, is tailored for SMEs looking to positively
impact their communities while continuing to capture new business opportunities
and grow their revenue.
SMEs that meet the ESG criteria and pass the financial
assessment process can access quick turnaround invoice financing solutions. These
solutions improve SMEs’ access to working capital by allowing them to monetise invoices
as early as three days following the shipment of their products. This gives
them the fiscal agility to capture new revenue opportunities. It will also
enable SMEs to hedge themselves from credit risks in today’s volatile global
economy.
Incomlend will be assessing the SMEs ESG plan by using
established international standards, such as the United Nations (UN) Principles
on Business and Human Rights, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the
Paris Agreement. With improved cash flow, SMEs will also have the financial
health and resources to make more and bolder ESG-centric changes within their
organisation and supply chain. The changes include sourcing socially and
environmentally responsible and adopting greener technology to reduce their carbon
footprint. This can help SMEs foster greater trust among stakeholders and
attract more customers.
The new initiative is also Asia’s first ESG-focused structured
finance programme. Investors’ interest in ESG and Sustainable Investing has
grown substantially over the years. According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, sustainable investment in the US, Canada,
Australasia, and Europe has increased by 15% from 2018 to 2020, reaching
USD35.3 trillion in value. It comprises more than one-third of all assets under
management.
In addition, the ESG programme connects institutional
investors who are keen to support ESG-centric businesses with socially
responsible, sustainable SMEs. It also allows investors to diversify their
investments in assets while providing robust and steady returns at a transparent,
monitored, and limited risk level.
Founded in Singapore, with offices
and representation in Europe, India, and Southeast Asia, Dubai and Hong Kong,
Incomlend connects SMEs globally with communities of investors, enabling them
to finance individual invoices on an exchange
platform. Since it started operations
in 2016, Incomlend has financed over USD500 million in trades across 50
countries worldwide.
Incomlend CEO and Co-founder Morgan Terigi
commented:
“We believe that ESG is not a hindrance but an
accelerator of SMEs’ growth, and more needs to be done to aid ESG-focused SMEs.
Through this joint alternative financing programme with Fasanara Capital, we
aim to nurture more responsible companies globally and enable them to grow
their business and profitability. We hope these ESG-centric SMEs can become successful
role models that their peers emulate, thereby encouraging more businesses to
focus on ESG.”
Fasanara Capital CEO Francesco Filia commented:
“Incomlend shares our commitment to support
ESG-focused enterprises, and we are excited to partner with them to pioneer
this new funding instrument. SMEs represent approximately 90% of companies
globally and have tremendous collective potential to make a positive impact. With
Incomlend’s global reach and proven expertise, we are confident that they can
maximise our investment and deliver working capital at scale to the right SMEs
to drive meaningful change worldwide.”
For more information on Incomlend, please visit https://www.incomlend.com/.
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